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Under pressure from<\/span> members of Congress to produce a mandated report on the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, United States Customs and Border Protection instead sent Congress its responses to a list of questions \u2014 which the agency had drafted itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to a congressional source who provided The Intercept with the communications on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, the immigration enforcement agency had not been responsive to questions from House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over DHS about Pretti\u2019s shooting. The agency is legally required to send an \u201cin-custody\u201d death notification to several committees and members from the victim\u2019s home state within 72 hours. The agency eventually sent the report, which\u00a0 The Intercept is publishing, on Tuesday after the deadline.\u00a0<\/p>\n But first, it sent a self-Q&A, which can be read in full below. In it, the agency repeatedly declines to answer its own questions.\u00a0<\/p>\n One question drafted by CBP asks whether agents were wearing body cameras, to which the agency responds that \u201cCBP defers to the investigating agencies.\u201d In another question, the agency asks itself if the immigrant being targeted had \u201ca final order of removal.\u201d CBP responds that it has to defer to \u201cDHS and investigating agencies for further detail of the operation.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The agency also asks itself what training Border Patrol agents receive on de-escalation and use of force and offers a vague answer to its own question. \u201cAuthorized Officers\/Agents shall employ de-escalation tactics and techniques, when safe and feasible, that do not compromise law enforcement priorities,\u201d CBP responds.<\/p>\n The full questionnaire:<\/p>\n \u00b7<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0CBP defers to the investigating agencies on witnesses. Other agitators were detained on scene.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00b7<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0CBP can confirm that the subject\u2019s gun was loaded, 2 additional magazines on we found on the subject.\u00a0 No identification was found on the subject at the time of the incident. (Pending additional details).<\/em><\/p>\n \u00b7<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0An agent involved in a deadly use of force incident are immediately placed on administrative leave with pay or regular days off for 3 consecutive days. CBP will follow up with more information on this case as it develops.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00b7<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0De-escalation is part of CBP\u2019s Use of Force Policy and agent are trained on it.\u00a0 Below is from the CBP Use of Force Policy (https:\/\/www.cbp.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-09\/exhibit_09_-_cbp_use_of_force_policy_final_jan_2021.pdf<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n D. De-Escalation<\/em><\/p>\n 1. De-escalation tactics and techniques seek to minimize the likelihood of the need to use force, or minimize force used during an incident, to increase the probability of voluntary compliance.<\/em><\/p>\n 2. Authorized Officers\/Agents shall employ de-escalation tactics and techniques, when safe and feasible, that do not compromise law enforcement priorities.<\/em><\/p>\n OCA will work with the Office of Training and Development as well as USBP to provide you a brief in the coming weeks specific to de-escalation training.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00b7<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0CBP defers to the investigating agencies.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00b7<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0CBP defers to DHS and the investigating agencies for further detail of the operation.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The required death-in-custody notice provides some additional details. It offers no evidence to support speculation from administration officials<\/a> that Pretti\u2019s gun accidentally went off, triggering the shooting, or that Pretti had planned to massacre immigration officials.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to the report, the incident began after a Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) was \u201cconfronted by two female civilians blowing whistles\u201d who were ordered to move out of the roadway. The officer pushed the two women, according to the report, when one of the women went to Pretti for help.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe CBPO pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen,\u201d reads the notice. \u201cThe CBPO attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move. The CBPO deployed his oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both Pretti and the woman.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n According to the notice to Congress, CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody, at which point \u201ca struggle ensued.\u201d The report says that a Border Patrol agent (BPA) yelled \u201cHe\u2019s got a gun!\u201d About five seconds later, according to the report, two agents began shooting at Pretti, and afterward, a separate agent told them he had Pretti\u2019s gun.\u00a0<\/p>\n The sequence of events described by CBP contradicts the statements put out by the Department of Homeland Security from over the weekend. On Saturday, DHS claimed that it <\/a>\u201clooks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.\u201d White House aide Stephen Miller wrote on X on Saturday<\/a> that Pretti was a \u201cwould-be assassin,\u201d and a \u201cdomestic terrorist.\u201d<\/p>\n The full death-in-custody report on his killing:<\/p>\n The following statement pertains to an in-custody death that occurred on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Minneapolis, MN. This information is based on a preliminary review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Investigative Operations Directorate (IOD) and may be updated and clarified as additional details become available. It is being provided to Committee staff concurrently with CBP senior leadership to ensure timely reporting.???\u00a0<\/p>\n CBP OPR IOD established the following information and timeline based on a preliminary review of body worn camera footage and CBP documentation.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n On January 24, 2026, United States Border Patrol (USBP) Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) and Customs and Border Protection Officers (CBPOs) supporting Operation Metro Surge were conducting enforcement actions near the intersection of Nicollet Ave. and 26th St. in Minneapolis, MN. Several civilians were in the area yelling and blowing whistles. BPAs and CBPOs made several verbal requests for the civilians to stay on the sidewalks and out of the roadway.<\/p>\n At approximately 9:00 a.m., a CBPO was confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles. The CBPO ordered the female civilians to move out of the roadway, and the female civilians did not move. The CBPO pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen. The CBPO attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move. The CBPO deployed his oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both Pretti and the woman.<\/p>\n CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel\u2019s efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a BPA yelled, \u201cHe\u2019s got a gun!\u201d multiple times.\u00a0 Approximately five seconds later, a BPA discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a CBPO also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti. After the shooting, a BPA advised he had possession of Pretti\u2019s firearm. The BPA subsequently cleared and secured Pretti\u2019s firearm in his vehicle.<\/p>\n At approximately 9:02 a.m., CBP personnel cut Pretti\u2019s clothing and provided medical aid to him by placing chest seals on his wounds. At approximately 9:05 a.m., Minneapolis Fire Department Emergency Medical Services (MFD EMS) emergency medical technicians (EMTs) arrived and assumed primary medical care for Pretti.<\/p>\n At approximately 9:14 a.m., MFD EMTs placed Pretti in an MFD EMS ambulance and he was subsequently transported to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). At approximately 9:32 a.m., HCMC medical personnel pronounced Pretti deceased.<\/p>\n CBP OPR IOD was advised that an autopsy would be conducted by medical personnel from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner\u2019s Office. CBP OPR IOD will request the official findings upon completion.<\/p>\n Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the incident and CBP OPR IOD is reviewing it. The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General was notified.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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